This Attractive Personality Trait Will Take You Far in Your Career

While there's no perfect formula when looking for the ideal job candidate, hiring managers certainly look for a few key traits. And according to Lynn Taylor, a workplace expert and author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant, emotional intelligence, or the ability to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior, ranks high on the list.

"Managers can usually find job applicants with sufficient technical skills—or at least the capacity to acquire them," Taylor recently told Business Insider. "[But] do you know how to calm others and be the voice of reason? Do you tend to understand human nature and bring out the best in people? Are you prone to passive-aggressive behavior if an interview gets dicey?"

Taylor goes on to point out how emotional intelligence isn't something that can be taught in school, but it is one of a job candidate's most valuable traits. "Explaining how you navigate challenges and bring situations under control can be very persuasive," she comments. For example, a person with high emotional intelligence would be adept at judging someone else's character, handling criticism without denial or blame, and navigating complex social dynamics in the workplace.